Target® Corp. announced it will partner with the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) for the annual TFI New Labels® Fashion Design competition. The competition celebrates up and coming Canadian designers. The winner of the competition will receive a $25,000 cash award from TFI supporter SuzAnne Rogers, as well as the opportunity to create an exclusive collection to be sold in Target Stores across Canada in 2014.

“Target has a longstanding commitment to great design and supporting the communities in which we do business,” said John Morioka, senior vice president, Merchandising, Target. “We are proud to partner with an organization that has paved the way for so many up and coming designers and are excited to showcase great design and make it accessible to our guests across the country.”

“We are always looking for ways to elevate the competition and we are thrilled to have Target on board to support New Labels this year,” said Susan Langdon, executive director, Toronto Fashion Incubator. “With a guaranteed in-store collection on the line, the stakes are even higher for our young designers. Target is known for their exclusive designer partnerships, and we are so pleased to be able to give one of our own such an amazing opportunity.”

TFI New Labels® is a prestigious national fashion design competition featuring TFI members who have been in business three years or less. Since 1992, it has featured the hottest up and coming design talent in Canada, providing an opportunity to meet and interact with a prestigious panel of judges from the fashion industry from whom they gain valuable knowledge about running their own successful fashion line.

Designers entering the competition will be tasked with creating a fashion line for the Target guest. Elisha Ballantyne, divisional merchandise manager, Apparel and Accessories, Target will meet with the competitors in advance to provide guidance on critical business elements to consider when creating their collections. After a series of four challenges, the winner will be announced at the TFI New Labels® Gala in April 2013.